Automatic stop for talking machines



June 9, 1925. 1,541,253

W. R. DUNCAN AUTOMATIC STOP FOR TALKING MACHINES Filed March 2. 1923 Q4-@wd M@ Patented .lune 9,

NT STATES PATENT DFFIC.

WILLIAM R. DUNCAN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR TALKING MACHINES.

To all whom t 'may' concern.'

Be it known that I, VVILLiAM R. DUNCAN,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Stops for Talking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for stopping a phonograph when the record has been finished and is particularly applicable to phonographs or talking machines of the Edison type.

The objects of this invention are to provide a simple mechanical device for automatically stopping a phonograph motor at a predetermined time; to provide a device of this character which may be actuated or controlled by the fioating weight of an Edison reproducer; to provide means for increasing the available power for actuating the tripping mechanism; and in general to provide such an improved stop mechanism as will be described more fully hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating this invention- Figure 1 is a plan view or a portion of a phonograph with my stop applied thereto, parts being shown in section or diagrammatically Figure 2 is a side view of the same;

Figure 3 is an enlarged front elevation of: the trip mechanism;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with parts shown in section; i

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5 5 of Figure 3; and

Figure 6 is a detail of the brake mechanism.

In the Edison type of phonograph there is a Hoating weight which forms a part of the reproducer and which carries the stylus. lWhen the stylus vreaches the end of the groove in the record, the free end of the weight is raised and moves laterally with respect to the reproducer or horn. It is this movement which I utilize for the purpose of controlling the brake mechanism. As shown in these drawings the horn 7 which is pivoted and swings in the well known manner in the 1Edison talking machine is provided with a reproducer 8 having the usual oating weight 9. This weight is pivoted at 10 on a vertical pivot and is provided with a reargaging 'position wardly extending vpin or arm 11 which is 55 adapted to swing in a horizontal plane with the weight.

A casing 12 is mounted on the horn 7 and is preferably positioned adjacent to the outer edge of the turntable 13. This casing is con-y G0 veniently held by means of an arm or ybracket 14 which is secured to a clamp 15 which engages with the horn 7. A plunger 16 is mounted in the casing 12 and is pressed downwardly by a spring 17. The foot 18 65 of this plunger is preferably made of felt or the like for engagement with the brake trip lever 19. The upper end of they plunger f is pivoted at 2O to one arm of a lever 21, this lever being fulcrumed at 22 in the casing. 70 The inner end of this lever is provided with a hook or catch 23 which coacts with a similar hook 24 on a lever 25 for holding the plunger in raised position as shown in Fig'- ure 4. The lever 25 is pivoted at 26 and is 75 l weighted or provided with a projection 27 which tends to move the hook 24 into enby gravity. The lever 25 projects outwardly at one end of the boX or casing 12 and is adapted to be struck by 80 a weight 2S on the end of a lever 29 which lever is pivoted at 30 to the casing. This lever has a thumbpiece or extension 31 which is adapted to engage the outer end of the lever 21 for pressing the same downwardly 85 to raise the plunger and the bottom of the casing is also provided with a projection or finger piece 32 for convenience in pressing the lever down. The lever 29 has a pawl or detent 33 which engages with a catch 34 on S0 the end of a rod 35 which extends through the casing and projects forwardly to a point adjacent to the end of the arm 11. This rod is supported by a bracket or bearing 36 from the clamp 15 and has a downwardly project- 95 ing finger 37 which is secured thereto and is adapted to be engaged by the arm 11 for turning or oscillating the rod 35.

When the stylus reaches the end of the groove in the record 38, the floating weight will swing laterally vwith respect to the horn or reproducer and cause the arm 11 to swing the arm 37 and rock the shaft 35 which will cause thepcatch 34 to disengage fromv the detent 33, thereby allowing the weight 28 to drop and strike lthe lever 25 which will cause the hook or catch 24 to be released from the catch 23 thereby permitting the plunger to move downwardly under the action of the spring 17. It will be understood that the power supplied by the movement of the weight 9 is very small but it is suiiicient to release a catch of the chai acter shown which catch is not subjected to` the action of the plunger spring. The falling of the weight 28 is, however, sulicient to actuate the second catch which directly holds the spring pressed plunger.

In order to accentuate or add to the power of. the arm 11, l provide a spring 39 which is mounted on a support 40 on the casing 12 and pressed against the arm 11. This pressure maybe adjusted by a screw 41 as shown in Figure 5. lVhenthe stylus leaves the end of the groove this springwill tend to make thevlateral movement of the floating weight morepositive and `insure the operation of .the trip .mechanisnr Any suitable brake may be operated or controlled lby the plunger v16 but I have shown one form of brake which is applicable for this'purpose. As the details of this brake form no part-ol:` the present invention, it willnot be necessaryto describe the same, but a trip lever 1,9.is provided for actuating the brakey mechanism 43. This lever is `pi-.voted at 44 tot the'table v45 andhas one arm 46 curved to'correspond with the travel of the horn 7 .and plunger A'16, so -that the plunger will alw-aysbein position-to stri-kethis end of thelever. Vlhen the plunger 16 strilresthe lever- 46,1it releases the brake 47'which engages Vthe turntable 13 to 'stop the same. f'lhebrakefi-s :alsofprovided with 'a reset lever V48 which'operatesin'the usual manner for releasing .the brake.

:From this description it will be seen that r1' provide a simple arrangement whereby the power 'furnished by Ithe movement of the floating weight may be increased or vaugmented .in order to. provide suitable mechanical Iactuating'mechanism for stopping the i machine.`

Having: thus described. my invention, what f 'having avreprodu'cer provided with a rfloatingv/eight, comprising a member for operating abra-ire, acatchff'or holding said mem- "ber-in. raised-po'sitiom-a triggerlatch for engagement with said catch, a weight for actuating said latch, a catch for holding said weight in raised position, a trigger latch for engagement with said catch and means actuated by the floating weight of the reproducer for releasing the last named latch, whereby the parts will operate substantiallyv as described.

3. rllhe combination with a spring actuated stop member for phonographs, of a locking device for holding the same in normal position, a weight for actuating said locking device, an auxiliary locking device 'for holding the weight in lraised position, `and a talking machine reproducer having a iloating weight which releases said auxiliary device when said weight has moved to a predetermined position.

4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination with a plunger, of a spring` for actuating said plunger, a lever having a catch at one end for holdingthe plunger in raised position, a weight adaptedto engage with the last named lever for releasing the catch, a pivoted arm carrying said weight, one end of said arm being adapted to engage with thefirst namedflever or returning the lever to normalgposition, a de tent on said arm, a latch for engagement with said detent, a rod supporting saidlatch, an arm on said rod, and a reproducer having aloating weight with an arm-adapted to engage with'said last named arm for rocking the rod. y

5. rllhe combination` with a phonograph horn, of a bracket, a casing supported by said bracket, a plunger mountedin said casing, a spring tending to press the plunger downwardly, alever pivotallymounted in the casing and' engaging with the plunger, one end of said lever projecting out through the casing and the other end being provided t with a catch, a second 'lGVQl' PVOLHY mounted in the casing 'and having a latch for engagement with'said catch, a Weight for striking the last named lever to release the latch, a lever pivotallymounted on said casing, said leverhaving the weight secured to one end thereof, the other end of the lever projecting outwardly to form a` thumbpiece which isYadapt-ed to engage with the projecting end ol the first named lever, a devtent'on said last named lever, a catch for vsaid detent, a rock shaft supporting said catch, an arm on said shat't and a reproducer having a swinging weight with an arm adaptedto engage with'the last named arm for rocking the shaft.

6. The combination with a phonograph Vhaving-a floating weight, offa weight, a trip mechanism for Vsupporting the weight,

`means for actuating the trip mechanismby fthe floating weight when the stylus has left 2the end ofthe groove in the record,`a spring pressed'member,'a trip mechanism for holding said member' in raised position, said trip mechanism adapted to bb actuated by the Weight for releasing the spring pressed member.

7. The combination With a phonograph having a reproducer with a floating Weight, of stop means adapted to be actuated by the movement of said floating Weightl relative to the reproducer and means for suppleinenting the actuating power of the floating Weight in order to operate the stop means.

8. The combination With aphonograph, of a brake mechanism having a trip arm positioned adjacent to the horn and extending across the path of the horn and a stop device carried by the horn and adapted to be actuated by the reproducer for engagement With said trip lever, the arrangement being such that the stop device Will always be in position to engage With the lever.

9. The combination with an Edison phonograph horn, of a spring plunger,

means for automatically releasing the plunger at predetermined times, a brake mechanism including a trip lever extending` across the path of the horn and adapted to be engaged by the spring plunger in any position of the horn.

10. The combination with an Edison phonograph, of a brake `for engagement With the turntable, a trip lever for releasing said brake, an operating member carried by the horn and adapted to engage With said trip lever and means for automatically actuating said` operating member when the stylus reaches the end of the groove in the record.

11. The combination with the floating Weight of an Edison reproducer, of a spring for assisting the lateral movement of the Weight With respect to the reproducer When the stylus passes from the end of the groove in the record.

WILLIAM R. DUNCAN. 

